The resurrection is the message that we celebrate every Easter as it comes around, and we delight in the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.  The prophets spoke so often, declaring the resurrection.  Jesus declared His resurrection time and time again, but they weren’t able to comprehend it, those that were hearing.  There was a purpose behind this resurrection that I think sometimes we forget.  The Resurrection is not just something for us to look to that someday, should the Lord tarry, and should we go the way of all flesh, that we will experience a full bodily resurrection.  The Scripture makes it clear that it’s going to be a new body.  It is not corruptible; amen?  In fact, it is not mortal, it is immortal.  Thank God that we’re going to have a new body.  I’ve noticed recently that mine seems to be breaking down a little more.  I’m looking forward to that new body. 

There’s an old gospel song.  But one of the phrases in it is, “We’ll have a new body; praise the Lord.  We’ll have a new life.”  All other religions have nothing to say about the physical body.  I want you to know that our bodies are important to God.  This Resurrection speaks very clearly to you and me of more than just that day that we would burst forth from the grave.  But Romans, Chapter 8, speaks clearly (turn over there for just a moment); and in Romans 8, we see that verse 10 tells us, “If Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.  Therefore, brethren, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live after the flesh.  For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live” (Romans 8:10-13).  Praise God.

This Resurrection is not just for something that’s future; this Resurrection is the living Christ in us right now, that causes the quickening of this mortal body to where we’re no longer under the power of sin, habitual sin.  We’re no longer under the power of sickness.  The same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you and makes alive your mortal bodies; hallelujah.  Resurrection is not just about us bursting forth from the grave; the resurrected Spirit of Jesus is quickening or making alive, healing our mortal bodies at this very moment.  Because He lives, we’re healed; amen?  Because He lives, we have victory over sin; hallelujah.  So, I think as we look at the Resurrection from that perspective, it’s not just something that’s future, it’s for us today; hallelujah.  I love to think of the Resurrection in that way.  He makes these statements, and they’re so powerful.  Romans, Chapter 1, look over there for just a moment.  In Romans, Chapter 1, we see in verse 4, Him “…declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”